The Australian skipper has taken 309 Test scalps in 71 five-day games with an stellar bowling average.
Australia's chief selector George Bailey has confirmed that pace spearhead Cummins will have a crucial role in this winter's England-Australia contest.
Speculation had been growing that the 32-year-old might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that remained unresolved.
Initial reports from the Australian camp suggested no definitive call had been made regarding his involvement, with the Test matches set to start on 21 November in the WACA.
Bailey expressed that his recovery is on track and felt positive about the likelihood of taking part.
"It's clear that the clock is ticking and multiple considerations involved, not only the back issue, but further aspects," Bailey remarked.
"It's positive. We firmly believe that he'll participate in a key capacity. Hopefully from the opening match. Otherwise, we'll adjust."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against both Asian and Trans-Tasman rivals recently after medical tests showed a stress reaction in his back.
There is a track record of recurring issues, with flare-ups in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 forcing him out of three Australian summers in four years.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his rehabilitation process to make the squad for the Ashes.
The selector indicated that it was unclear if he had started his bowling workouts as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to be fit for the first Test.
Alternative Arrangements
Should Cummins not be fit, former captain Steve Smith will take over the captaincy.
All-rounder Cameron Green was excluded lately from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of soreness in his side.
Bailey described it as a "slight concern and mentioned that he's scheduled to appear in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to be ready to bowl."
"We put so much time has gone into developing the strategy for him to be available for the initial game as an dual-role player," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the initial matches anyway. How he handles the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, we opted to approach this more conservatively."
Match Calendar
The Ashes: Australia v England
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
